by Matthew Holloway | Jun 14, 2024 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Fresh off of a budget approval that will only see a 0.2% increase in the Phoenix Police Department’s budget, an additional $27 million to be precise, the Department released its 2024 Crime Reduction Plan on Wednesday. The new plan carries over much of the previous plan from 2023 but adds an emphasis on firearm-related violence and the fentanyl epidemic. Also on order is a massive technological upgrade integrating controversial solutions such as drones and gun-shot detection equipment.
In a statement released by the City Newsroom, Interim Police Chief Michael Sullivan said, “We are losing far too many of our young people to gun violence, and the effects of the fentanyl epidemic on our community have been immense.”
Speaking to KTAR’s Mike Broomhead in a Wednesday interview, Sullivan explained, “If the public takes a look at the plan, you’ll see at the back we have some metrics and those are from things that we learned over the past year. We also looked at what we faced last year and added a couple really small changes focusing on juvenile crime. Something that… not just here in Phoenix but I think we’ve seen throughout the valley an uptick in juvenile crime that we saw last year and then really focusing in on the crime and disorder that’s related to the fentanyl epidemic.”
According to the release from the City Newsroom, in early 2024 the Phoenix Police Department constructed a Real Time Operations Center at the Cactus Park Precinct to utilize more technological avenues to reduce crime specifically in the 27th Avenue corridor.
The plan calls for Phoenix PD to:
“Increase technology tools to continue to assist with lowering crime in the City. This technology includes the Real Time Operations Centers, drones, license plate readers (LPRs), gun-shot detection equipment, fixed cameras and laptops for all patrol officers.”
A 2021 press release from ASU’s Artificial Intelligence Cloud Innovation Center shows the Phoenix PD launched the Firearm Location and Interdiction System (FLIS) combining “acoustical and visual sensors, data analytics and omni-channel data access to help Phoenix police officers and citizens identify perpetrators of gun crimes.” The system reportedly notifies PPD automatically when a gun shot is fired providing audio, video, and location data to the officers via an application.
“Investigators are able to use the application to access the universe of data associated with the incident location and other evidence like license plates, forensics, and known associates.”
A similar, commercially produced system known as Shotspotter by SoundThinking, Inc.. has garnered serious controversy over the past two years facing major opposition in Chicago from Democrat Mayor Brandon Johnson as noted in Law Enforcement Today and from Democrats in Congress such as Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) as reported by The Boston Globe.
In an interview with AZFamily, Ed DeCastro, Assistant Chief over Investigations explained, “We’re using the community as an ally as a partner with us, which has been a tremendous help. We’ve opened up a real-time operations center, so the technology we’ve gotten as a city is tremendous, and we’re able to catch the suspects a lot faster.”
As outlined in Phoenix PD’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems Use Guidelines published in 2022, the department may currently deploy drones in cases of: Vehicular Crimes, Violent Crimes/Homicide, Crime Scene/Criminal Investigation, Lab Evidence Collection, and Patrol/Investigative Support. Under tactical deployment, the drones are presently deployed for: tactical operational support, to provide enhanced levels of situational awareness during a tactical incident, and critical incident scene management.
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Matthew Holloway | Jun 12, 2024 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
On Sunday, June 2, authorities estimate that anywhere between two and three thousand Mexican nationals descended upon Phoenix and gathered beneath the scorching Arizona sun to vote. According to the Instituto Nacional Electoral, the Mexican government body charged with organizing the nation’s elections, only approximately 600 of those present at the Mexican Consulate Sunday were able to place their vote. A Spanish language outlet estimated the number to be up to 7,000.
Cuitláhuac Osorio Technical secretary of the Executive Directorate of the Federal Register of Voters of the National Electoral Institute (INE) told Conecta Arizona that the Mexican authorities are evaluating whether in-person voting should continue or if the government should switch to doing so electronically or at additional voting centers in the U.S. to accommodate Mexican nationals who are outside of the country on election day.
“Certainly, we did not foresee such an overwhelming participation, that so many people were going to suddenly appear before a Consulate; Having 2,000 or 3,000 people made the operation difficult for us in terms of being able to organize the lines, the resources and capacities that we had available to serve the citizens within the Consulate,” Osorio said (translated by Google).
In an interview with Maritza L. Félix, director and founder of the outlet, Osorio added, “We did not have that expectation of having that number of people outside the Consulate. It’s part of learning. We will have to evaluate other alternatives: for example, if this in-person modality would have to continue using electronic devices, if we would have to use ballots, if we would have to think about (more) voting centers. Nowadays the legislation does not allow it, that is, we were also limited to making the election within the Consulate. The INE will make a detailed evaluation, with all the recommendations.
Félix noted that likely many of the voters were, “People from New Mexico, from Texas, from northern Arizona, people who perhaps due to their irregular immigration status could not go to their homeland to exercise their right and decided to come to Phoenix.” The Mexican voters arrived as early as 5 AM on June 2nd coming from as far away as El Paso, TX.
“On this election day in which we witnessed there were thousands of people: according to representatives and volunteers of the INE, there were about 7,000 people who could have met at the consular headquarters. People from New Mexico, from Texas, from northern Arizona, people who perhaps due to their irregular immigration status could not go to their homeland to exercise their right and decided to come to Phoenix with the idea that there were 1,500 extra ballots. For example, the majority of people from Sonora who came could only vote for the Senate and the Presidency of the Republic,” Félix explained.
According to the outlet, the total number of Mexican nationals who voted from outside the country was 184,374, an increase of 87% over the previous election in 2018.
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Matthew Holloway | Jun 10, 2024 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
In social media posts on Friday afternoon The West Valley Republican & Independent Coalition, a non-profit PAC, stated that their office located on West Grand Ave. in Sun City, AZ “is almost a total loss,” after what is being called an electrical fire ripped through the building housing it overnight.
The organization wrote in a post to Facebook on Friday that the cause of the fire was electrical in nature saying, “Well, life sometimes sends us curveballs. And what a curveball this is: Our building had an electrical fire last night and our office is almost a total loss. Smoke damage is awful.”
Replying to comments, the organization stated that “everything was contaminated with poisonous chemicals from the fire.”
A volunteer effort in the early hours of Friday led by Chairman Cindy Newman and Congresswoman Debbie Lesko (R-AZ-08) with representatives from the Republican National Committee West Valley, American Majority Action, and GOP LD27 were reportedly able to clear the office of the PAC’s furniture and equipment in just three hours. The PAC expressed thanks in a post to Facebook minutes after the initial announcement.
The West Valley Republican & Independent Coalition is asking for donations to get the office cleaned and remediated, replacing all lost equipment and brought back into commission. According to the PAC’s website, “The West Valley Republican & Independent Coalition is a nonprofit PAC formed by local grassroots conservatives to provide a permanent office in the West Valley for the purpose of voter registration, voter outreach, distribution of political literature and as a meeting place for groups and individuals. The mission of the office is to foster an educated and informed electorate.
The PAC is self-funded through donations and has no paid staff or consultants. All funds donated to the PAC are utilized to pay rent, utilities, supplies, and to promote events.”
Chairman Cindy Newman speaking with AZ Free News confirmed that the fire was electrical in nature and started in another office in the complex. The damage was primarily caused by toxic smoke, and the office is closed indefinitely. The insurance on the office is insufficient to cover the massive losses in excess of $30,000. The organization is seeking an alternate meeting location.
“We’re going to come back even better than before I say,” Newman said. “I think we’ll come back better than what we were and we’ll have an incredible grand re-opening.”
Anyone wishing to volunteer or with questions can contact Newman at westvalleyrepublicans@pm.me.
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Matthew Holloway | Jun 8, 2024 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
The temperature was a paltry 105 degrees as several thousand Trump supporters flooded the area surrounding the Dream Center Church on Cave Creek Road in Phoenix, AZ. Reports from the Phoenix Fire Department confirmed 11 people were transported to area hospitals to be treated for heat related issues. Nonetheless, the 3,600 house of worship was filled to capacity, with “thousands” turned away according to former President Donald Trump. The Turning Point USA event entitled, “Chase the Vote,” highlighted efforts of the Trump campaign to ensure a massive turnout in the 2024 election.
Beginning his remarks shortly after 2 PM, Trump expressed his thanks to members of Arizona’s GOP Congressional delegation including Congressmen Eli Crane, Andy Biggs, and Paul Gosar in addition to outgoing Congresswoman Debbie Lesko who is seeking a seat on the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors. Trump endorsed Lesko in her pursuit of what he called “an important job,” noting, “We’ve gotta get them on our side Debbie,” referring to the board led by Chairman Jack Sellers. He added, “You know they’re Republicans but they act like Democrats. We gotta get em’ on our side.”
Trump confidently told the audience that he is “working my *ss off for it to be too big to rig!”
Trump also voiced his support for U.S. Senate candidate Kari Lake as well saying, “She’s out there and she’s a warrior I’ll tell you. And she’s a very fine person and a great, great, she’s a great family person, and a great person who loves our country. You’re gonna be your next senator. She’s gotta be your next senator because she’s running against somebody, she’s running against somebody who’s for open borders. Do you like open borders? I don’t think so. You gotta elect Kari Lake. She’s gonna be fantastic. Thank you, Kari. She’s incredible. She’s gonna do a good job. The campaign is just beginning.”
Trump heavily criticized President Joe Biden for his recent executive order limiting asylum claims in the United States lampooning him for “importing more illegal aliens than the population of forty of our fifty states.” The former President soundly dismissed the executive order observing, “If Joe Biden truly wanted to sign an executive order to stop the invasion, he only needs the single, think of it, a single sentence,” he said.
That sentence: “I hereby immediately reinstate every single border policy of the gentleman named Donald J. Trump.”
Trump also announced to raucous applause that he is leading among Hispanic voters citing recent polls. He jokingly suggested that he too had a ‘catch and release policy’, but noted that “I released them in Mexico.”
“I ran because I saw such stupidity,” he said referring to Biden’s border policies, “He wants to turn every single illegal alien that he lets across the border into a voting citizen.”
“By contrast I want to send Joe Biden’s illegal aliens back home… Joe Biden wants an invasion, I want a deportation.”
Zeroing in on the Biden border policy’s implications for Arizona Trump explained, “Biden’s order is not a border security plan. It’s a concession to the fact that he has lost control over our border. He has totally lost control over the border into a really dangerous place. He is conceding death and he is conceding defeat at the border. On day one of my administration I will be rescinding crooked Joe’s outrageous executive order. And I will be slamming the door shut on the Biden migrant app, and I will terminate every single open borders policy of the Biden administration as soon as I take the oath of office.
“It will take place, it will take place on the exact same day. I don’t need to wait weeks. It’s going to be done on the same day that we together, we all take the oath of office. As the result of Biden’s action this week there will be more innocent Americans killed by illegal criminals or more children trafficked and sold into slavery and millions more illegal aliens pouring into our country and many will come through a very beautiful place known as Arizona. Right? Arizona. I tell you, it’s so sad to see what has happened here.”
During his remarks Trump brought former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, a candidate for Fountain Hills Mayor onto the stage. The fellow Republican recalled to the gathered audience how Trump took the time to call his late wife Ava, an avid Trump supporter, seven times before she passed away in 2021 after battling cancer.
Addressing his recent conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records in New York, Trump was direct “Those appellate courts have to step up and straighten things out or we’re not going to have a country anymore.”
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Matthew Holloway | Jun 6, 2024 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
On June 1, Arizona’s Democrat Governor Katie Hobbs released a video on X extolling Pride Month and her pro-LGBTQ+ policies. However, the contrast between Hobbs’ full support of LGBTQ+ interests and her past behavior did not go unnoticed by Brian Anderson, Founder of the Saguaro Group and Arizona Capitol Oversight.
This isn’t the first time either, as Anderson described his attention to the matter as “yearly.” Anderson brought back to light the seldom reported allegation that Hobbs removed her “preferred pronouns” and support for #BLM from her Twitter account prior to launching her 2022 campaign for governor.
Sharing Hobbs video to X, Anderson wrote, “Yearly #PrideMonth reminder that @KatieHobbs deleted her “gender pronouns” from her Twitter bio right before running for #AZGov so that voters didn’t know she’s weird lmao.” Accompanying his message were a pair of screenshots of Hobbs personal Twitter bio before and after her campaign announcement.
A search of the social media platform did reveal previous iterations of the post from 2022. Hobbs’ Republican opponent Kari Lake’s campaign posted a similar tweet in August of 2022 stating, “This as her bio before @katiehobbs announced for Governor. Before she started pretending she hadn’t spent her entire political career on the lunatic fringe of the radical left. We’re very curious about Katie’s updated pronouns & whether she still believes Black Lives Matter.”
On June 1, Hobbs ordered the Ninth Floor balcony of the Arizona Executive Building festooned with four “pride” flags and offered the statement, “I’m proud to stand tall for an Arizona that’s for everyone, including the LGBTQ+ community,” she said according to The AZ Mirror.
“To the LGBTQ+ Arizonans, we celebrate the light and energy you bring to our state, and I will continue to work alongside you until we have an Arizona where everyone, no matter who they are or who they love, has the safety, freedom and opportunity to truly live their authentic lives.”
However, absent from the proliferation of media coverage was any inquiry as to why Hobbs chose to remove her ‘preferred pronouns’ and her support of BLM from her bio prior to launching her gubernatorial campaign.
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
